IN The Thoughts of the Angels
by Jill Kel Bri33
Summary: The Angels are being hunted, and Jill and Kelly question Sabrina's past. Will they ever know before the time runs out? Rated T for some violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

**The Attack**

Sabrina arrived home at about ten o'clock sharp, yawning and stretching out her weary muscles. It had been a long, intense case, and she, Kelly, Jill, and Bosley were all wiped out and had decided to head straight home to their comfortable beds where a deep, restful sleep was sure to come upon them.

Well, almost all of them, anyway.

Bri sighed as she got into the steamy bath water awaiting her, and began to hum the Polinade softly. She smiled to herself as the memories from the case came flooding back to her. Meeting her very own Polish hero, at the time it had all seemed so…. unreal. Yet there they were, drinking plum brandy as his political sharks of friends backstabbed him, and as she raced against the clock to save both his life and the free will of his country. The man had become like a second father to her. She loved him with a passion, not the love that she used to have with Bill, her ex-husband, but a love that she would share with a life-long friend. What a man he was.

Sabrina was suddenly startled out of her reverie by the sound of breaking glass. As calmly as possible, she stepped out of her bath and slipped into a soft cotton robe. She silently grabbed her gun from out of her purse and, ever so slightly, not to startle the intruder, turned the knob of the bathroom door and gave it a slight push. The door slowly creaked open, and Bri muttered a couple of Spanish curses under her breath, kicking herself internally for not remembering to grease the hinges when she had come home. Gathering up her courage, she peeked out into the hallway. When she had decided that the coast was clear, she set out into the hallway, gripping her revolver tightly with both hands, prepared for anything. _Something jumps out of the shadows, you shoot it, Bri. No hesitations. No waiting. You're trained for this, all the way back to the first days of the police academy, and even further back when daddy first taught you. When you are in danger, unless instructed otherwise from a person of higher rank, you will not hesitate to defend yourself and then get the hell out of there. No matter what happens._

She advanced into the living room.

And her heart almost stopped.

There, in the middle of the living room, was a young man, probably early into his twenties. He stood, unmoving, unflinching. Sabrina wasn't even sure that he was breathing, he was so still.

It happened very fast.

The man turned around and, before Bri even had the time to pull the trigger, she suddenly felt herself hit the wall with such force that the breath was knocked out of her. She decided to shoot him, but gasped when she realized that the gun was no longer in her hands. The man smiled, and Sabrina could see his perfect white teeth flash out in contrast to the darkness of the room. He lunged for her again, this time knocking her arm violently against the wall and punching her ribs multiple times. Bri gasped and coughed, almost choking on her own blood. The man was now standing back, admiring the damage that he had done to her.

Sabrina's head was pounding, and she couldn't see straight. She grabbed the wall with her good arm for support, and threw herself at him, attempting to catch him off balance so that she could grab her gun and end the struggle.

Easier said than done, when you can't even see and your blood is all over the carpet.

Sabrina managed to get a few good punches in, before the man threw her off, apparently deciding that enough was enough. Bri landed with a hard thud on the front door, almost knocking it down. Blood trickled into her eyes, making it continuously harder to stay alert. Her vision was blurry. She felt herself slipping away, and she slid down the door, exhaling slowly.

_ You weakling. Stand up._

She moaned and closed her eyes, wishing the military, hardcore part of her away. It wouldn't give up, though.

_I said STAND UP! You WILL NOT give in. You will TAKE that bastard with you. You will FIGHT._

She groaned, but managed to pull herself up, and, to the surprise of the man, stood up completely straight, a bloody shadow against the dark of the room.

Her attacker was shocked, but managed to compose himself. He grinned and looked at her still form, thinking that a good swift kick to the ribs would get the job done.

He never got the chance.

Sabrina lunged at him, bowling him over like he was a pin in the alley. He landed on his back, the breath knocked out of him.

_Good, Bri. I see you've picked yourself up. We have to finish this._

She launched herself on him and pummeled him.

_Knuckles breaking, doesn't matter, keep going, you're winning, you're winning, you're winning…_

It seemed, however, that she was not winning. Her attacker let out a roar and threw Sabrina off. She crashed into the table, breaking it. The pain was overwhelming. The military part of her was gone, crushed beneath the weight and the gravity of the situation.

The only thing she could hope for now was a fast, painless death. The man picked up her revolver and examined it carefully. He smiled that perfect, white-toothed smile, and opened his mouth to speak. And even though Sabrina was nearly blind, in pain, and probably too far gone to hear anything, she understood what he said. It came as a relief.

"The end."

And with those parting words, he raised the gun to her chest, flashing his beautiful white teeth for the very last time.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!


	2. Chapter 2

**Angels Sent From Heaven Highest**

Sabrina sighed. It was all over. She wondered why she could still breathe, and she placed her hand over her chest, snatching it back as quickly as it had come. _No bullets? No blood? But I'm dead! He shot me, not one, not two, but three times! Three times. Thrice, for God's sake! I am dead. Right?_

Sabrina looked up, and saw the smoke coming from not one revolver, but three. Kelly, Jill, and Bosley were standing there, each with their own revolver pointed at her attacker, who was still standing. His face was a mixture of shock, anger, and pain.

He was no longer smiling as he fell to the ground. Jill went up to him and kicked him.

"Dead." She reported to Bosley.

"Good." He said.

_ Ah. It's my lovely friends come to save me. Isn't that just…. angelic?_

Bri smiled at her little pun, receiving both alarmed and relieved looks from her coworkers. She laughed, and then realized that she was still in pain.

"Aw, damn it. Thought I was done for sure that time. You guys always gotta come rescue me and spoil all my plans, don't you?"

Jill smiled, Bosley gave her a stern look, and Kelly's face broke. She rushed over to her friend, pulling her into a warm- but careful- hug. She looked Bri in the eyes.

"Don't you ever do that to us again, understand?"

"Oh, alright. If you say so, mother."

Kelly's face hardened.

"I mean it, Sabrina! You could've..." Her voice trailed off, almost on the verge of tears. She muttered it softly, so that only Sabrina could hear it.

" I could've lost you." She whispered.

Sabrina shook her head. She was suddenly very dizzy.

"I'm not going anywhere yet, Kel. Ow."

Kelly had always wished that she could be as courageous as Sabrina was. Bri always knew what to say to make people go from crying their eyes out to calm and comforted, in just a matter of seconds. It was something that she would always respect her for.

Kelly was forced back to reality when Sabrina muttered her name softly. She was fading out fast, having spent so much energy putting up a front for her friends' benefit. Kelly almost cried, again.

"Don't leave us, Bri, come on now, stay here sweetie. The paramedics are almost here." Kelly was suddenly aware of Jill crouching next to her. Kelly smiled gratefully. She found that she herself was unable to speak, so she just sat there, holding on to Sabrina's hand, never letting go.

Bri smiled weakly.

"You think… I was planning on…. going anywhere? Bos…. would never let me… on a… vacation."

Jill was always one to appreciate jokes, but the sight of one so hurt being so brave, just for her benefit- it was too much to take. She cradled Sabrina in her arms, crying softly. Sabrina winced when she saw her fun-loving friend break like that. She decided to keep her mouth shut, for both hers and her friends' sake.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang three times.

_Saved by the bell, _Sabrina thought grimly, _in more ways than one._

The paramedics rushed over to her. One of them, a woman who presented herself as Sandra, began talking to her in a soothing voice.

"Hello, miss, how are you doing?"

Sabrina wanted to scream, wanted to laugh, wanted to cry, wanted to hit something. But she forced out a rather detached-sounding, "I'm alright."

"What's your name?"

"Sabrina."

"Okay, then. Try to relax, don't attempt to move."

Sabrina frowned as they cut through her sweater, and frowned even more when Kelly gasped at her ribs. Sandra saw her grimace.

"Is the pain getting worse?"

Sabrina shook her head. "Only emotional pain."

Both her coworkers and Sandra stared at her, confused. Sabrina sighed.

"I just really liked that sweater."

Both her coworkers and Sandra just gawked at her. Jill quickly regained her posture and smiled.

"That's my girl."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey Guys, sorry I haven't uploaded in awhile. I was upstate New York, no internet connection, although I did manage to get in another chapter or two, so I'm posting them both because this one's too short and is mostly dialogue.**

**Thank to the few who have reviewed, hopefully there will be more comments after these are read.**

**Anyways, I'm gonna shut up now. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Secrets and Bad Guys**

"The Oldsmobile Cutlass," the man with the sunglasses remarked, "An expensive car, if there ever was one. Ostentatious of you, Paulie boy. You paid for that? Or did you get it for free?" He smiled, pearly whites glinting.

"Don't be stupid, Marley. Wizard gave this to me, special. It was a gift. I ain't into that business no more, copping cars is for amateurs. You know this is the real deal. The Lion failed, hopefully the Tin Man won't.

Marley grinned.

"And if Tin Man fails…"

"Then we'll just have to bring in the Scarecrow."

The two men laughed and lit their cigarettes. Marley had a thought suddenly, and he plucked his cigarette out of his mouth, waving the smoke in Paul's face.

"Hey Paul, ever wondered what would happen if Scarecrow failed?"

Paul looked at his partner for a brief moment, then laughed and shook his head.

"You're crazy, man. Scarecrow is a changed man, he ain't gonna fail. He's just got out on probation. He's been waiting his whole life to get back at that Garrett girl. Now Wizard's giving him the opportunity to get her, along with the others. He ain't got no emotion left in him. Just cold as stone." He expertly blew out a ring of smoke.

Marley nodded.

"You're right." He looked at Paul.

"Y'know, Paulie Cracker, I could probably take him. Scarecrow I mean. I could take him."

"Man, stop that. You never know who's watching'"

"Oh, come on. What are you saying, the walls have ears now? You're paranoid, man."

"Yeah, I'm paranoid and you're cracked. Perfect duo."

"I know it." Marley said proudly.

"You never seen Scarecrow before, what makes you so sure you can take him?"

Marley drew himself up and looked at Paul, cocking his eyebrow.

"What makes you so sure I can't?"

"Man, Mar, I've met him. Both of them, Wizard of Oz and Scarecrow, in the same room together. They come from the same place. A crazy house." Here he paused, looked around the parking lot, and lowered his voice dramatically.

"The Asylum."

"Is that why Wizard wants us keep on referring to our business in the code?"

"The Wizard of Oz code, yeah. Keep your voice down, will ya?"

"Are they really that scary, in the same room together?"

"Tough as nails. Please, keep it lower, Mar!"

"Is Scarecrow as tough as Wizard, you think?"

"No, Wizard is, well… "He trailed off, giving Marley the opportunity to interrupt him.

"What's he look like, Wizard I mean. What's he like?"

Paul shrugged and took another drag off his cigarette.

"I can't describe him, to tell you the truth. It's weird, even when he's in the light, you can't really get a sense…I just can't recall his face. I saw him just yesterday, too. How crazy is that, man?" He laughed nervously and looked about him again.

"Maybe he did some mind-control thing on you, man."

Paul stared.

"You're cracked."


	4. Chapter 4

**Nosiness and Comfort**

Jill and Kelly were reclining on the couch. Jill was restless and fidgety. She occasionally grumbled and sighed, muttering statements under her breath. She had gotten up and started pacing two times already, and would probably do it a third time if she didn't get answers to the questions spinning in her head.

_ I __**hate **__this. What we should be doing is having a conversation with Sabrina. I really would like to know her side of the story again. I would also really like to know about her. She never talks about anything from her past except Bill and the Police Academy, or getting her degrees in college. How can one person be so brash and outgoing, yet so unnoticeably introverted? _

Jill shot straight up and let out loose with a string of curses, finally snapping. Kelly looked at her blonde, usually fun-loving friend with wide eyes.

"Jill, you okay?"

Jill sighed and leaned her head against Kelly's shoulders, yawning and stretching her back like a cat. She gave Kelly a half-hearted smile.

"Yeah, Kel, just tired of all this."

Kelly narrowed her eyes and looked at Jill, analyzing her behavior with sharp green eyes.

"That's not all that's bothering you, Jill. C'mon, sweetie, talk to me. What's on your mind? Is it Sabrina?"

Jill looked at Kelly with an inquisitive expression on her face, one that she rarely ever showed. _How in the world do you do that, kiddo?_

"Yeah. She just- I'm so worried about her. She always puts on this front, y'know? This-this mental guard that she has." Jill waved her hands in the air. "It just bothers me that we can't get to her. Have you noticed that she never talks about her past?"

Kelly was shocked at Jill suddenly losing her composure like this. She regained her calm, understanding look and nodded to let Jill know that she understood what she was saying.

"I get that she puts up a front, Jill. I see it too. But Sabrina does talk about her past. She talks about Bill all the time."

Jill sighed and looked at Kelly, wondering how her usually sharp friend didn't notice Sabrina's secretive nature.

"Kelly, you and I both know that Sabrina likes to talk. She's very brash and outgoing, and she'll stand up to protect herself in a second. But don't you notice how she never lets us take the bullet? She's so hard on herself." Jill blew out a long breath that she had been holding in. "Don't you notice how she never talks about before she and Bill got together? Before the police academy?"

Kelly stared at Jill. "You're right. Why, I've never even thought about that before! How come she doesn't talk about before the police academy?"

Jill nodded; glad that Kelly finally understood where she was coming from.

"See? She's brash, she's outgoing, and she puts up a front: but the question is, where does the need to put up that front come from?"

Kelly had been patient with Jill this whole time, but now she decided that she should stop Jill before she got too nosy. Kelly, too, had a past; she knew what it was like to have to wear a mask to hide your true emotions. There were some terrors of her past, some secrets so horrible, that she had not yet told her friends about, and did not plan on doing so. She would have to face them herself, in the times she occasionally spent tossing and turning in her bed, crying out for someone to come and take the monsters away. She had learned to fight most of her ghosts off because of the long conversations with her friends. Her family. The only real family she ever had. But no matter how hard you try, some nightmares just won't go away.

"Jill, listen. I know that Sabrina may be strangely evasive at times. I know that she always talks about Bill whenever the subject of her past comes up. But don't you think that there is a reason for doing so? Don't you think that we should just let her be?"

Kelly's voice was rising unintentionally.

Jill suddenly felt extremely guilty for being so nosy about Bri's past. And she had gone and upset Kelly, adding to her misery.

"I'm sorry, Kel. I didn't mean to upset you at all. I was curious towards Sabrina's story, that's all. I feel so lousy. I never had such a hard time myself growing up. I guess I misunderstood the need for a mental guard sometimes. You're right, we-I-should let this go."

Kelly sighed.

"I didn't mean to raise my voice, Jill. Don't kick yourself. It's just that I know exactly what having to hide from past demons is like. I don't know about Bri, but she'll probably tell us when the time is right. As you said before, she likes to talk." She gave Jill a gentle, reassuring smile.

Jill smiled back, knowing that she had been forgiven. They didn't say anything for a while, just sat in silence, enjoying the peace for once.

The doorbell rang, a rude interruption to the silence. Jill, never one for staying still too long, jumped up and bolted for the door, managing to slip on the carpet and land flat on her back. Kelly burst out laughing at her friend's comical behavior, and then got up in a much more stately manner, walking past Jill to greet whoever was at the door. It creaked open to reveal Kris, a worried look on her face that did not at all suit her.

Jill jumped up from her sprawled position on the floor and pounced on the smaller blonde, pulling her into a bear hug.

"Um, Jill, you can get off of me now." Kris's muffled voice came from being held against her big sister like she was a teddy bear.

"I refuse to oblige to this preposterous proposal." Jill responded, a look of haughtiness forming on her features.

"Uh, Jill, seriously. Get off of me. Ouch."

Jill quickly let Kris go, turning her around so that she could have a better look at her.

"What's up, li'l sis?"

Kris exhaled and kissed Kelly lightly on the cheek before falling into the couch, sighing softly as the pillows enveloped her. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, breathing softly.

"Mmmmm, she has a very comfy couch. I approve."

Jill looked at her sister in confusion. "Kris." She tried again. "What's up?"

Kris opened her eyes, realizing that she was still in the world. "Oh. Sorry. I just wanted to swing by and check on Bri. Is she okay? I heard what happened from Charlie yesterday." The concerned look appeared on her face once again.

Kelly smiled. "She's asleep. Out like a rock."

Jill nodded vigorously. "Won't be woken up by anything. Kelly put on the blender just a few minutes ago for coffee, and she slept right through it. She's like me when I'm asleep!"

"No one sleeps like you do, Jill." Sabrina stood in the doorway, smiling softly.

Kris looked up and grinned. "Hiya Bri! How are you doing?"

"Oh, much better. Actually, I just woke up because of all the racket you two were making." She narrowed her eyes at Jill and Kelly, who looked down guiltily.'

Bri grinned. "I'm just kidding, don't feel bad."

"Something must have woken you up." Kris said.

Bri shrugged and sniffed the air. "I smelled coffee." She sniffed again, and her expression changed to an impossible cross of joy and disgust. "And something burning. What's Kelly cooking?"

Jill laughed, and Kelly hung her head in shame.

"I tried to teach her, Bri, but to no avail. She just couldn't get the rhythm of it. So I handed her some leftover lasagna you had in the fridge, and she heated it up, but she kinda left it alone for too long and, well…

"No more lasagna?"

"Basically. Unless you like it charcoal?"

Sabrina grinned. "Uh, no thanks."


	5. Chapter 5

**Instinct and Sensibility **

It was late into the evening, and the four angels were gathered around Sabrina's couch, sipping tea and coffee. Sabrina sat there, smiling thoughtfully as she looked at her friends. The Angels. _Angel…Never been called that before Charlie came along._

From her peripheral vision, she could tell that Kris was watching her. She sighed.

"What do you want?" She frowned and kicked herself internally; she hadn't meant to snap at the younger angel.

Kris looked straight at her boldly. "I don't know. What do you want?" She replied, her voice sounding just as angry as Sabrina's voice had.

Sabrina just stared at Kris. Then she began laughing, and she playfully threw a pillow at her friend's face.

"I'm not angry, Kris. Sorry. Just saw that you were staring at me."

Kris smiled mysteriously and stared deep into Sabrina's brown eyes. "Maybe I just want you, Sabrina."

"Ah. Well then, that's perfectly reasonable. Carry on."

Jill and Kelly had been watching their encounter for some time. Jill tilted her head to one side. "Glad you could finally come out and tell us, Kris."

Kelly laughed. "We always expected it, but you never expressed your true passion for her. Hidden love cannot stand alone, you know."

Sabrina grinned widely. "Oh, she wasn't alone, I can tell you that."

For a moment, everyone just stared at each other. Then they cracked up, their voices filling Sabrina's living room. Pent-up emotions released through laughter has, after all, always proved to be the greatest cure to heavy hearts. After awhile, they resumed to sitting and enjoying the silence.

Jill was unsure of how to go about her question in the right way, not knowing if it would be too nosy, as Kelly said.

_What are you waiting for? Just ask!_

Jill sighed, annoyed. She was contradicting herself again. The separate sides of her mind were about to have an argument. One completely relied on instinct, jumping into situations and reacting quickly, sometimes a little too quickly. The other was more sensible, giving more thought to situations and looking at the bigger picture.

_Remember what Kelly told us, we have to wait for her. Calm, she'll tell us soon enough. When the time comes. _

_ I'm doing this because I care about her!_

_ I care about her as well, and our friendship. What if we hurt her? We shouldn't go jumping into things all of the time like this, it makes no sense. _

_ Sabrina loves to talk! She's not sensitive; she's a tough cookie. She'll survive. Besides, it'll probably be something fine, like "Oh, its nothing, I grew up a military brat" and go into detail about her father raising her. Like normal families! Like us!_

_ Patience is a virtue._

Jill growled. Kris looked at her with concern, but she took no notice.

_Look. I'm not diving into this. Let's just work together, all right? Compromise._

_ Compromise, then._

Jill sighed, glad that the argument was over. She had finally made her decision. She was going to enter the lion's mouth, bite the bullet, take the plunge.

She was going to ask Sabrina about her past.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, guys. I'm really not sure about this, so here goes nothing. A bunch of this chapter is in Latin.**

**Enjoy anyway!**

* * *

**Illiud Latine Dici Non Potest**

"So Sabrina," Jill began lightly, "What was growing up like for you?"

It took a second for Kelly to realize what Jill was doing, and she immediately tensed. It is clear when Kelly tenses: she straightens her posture and narrows her eyes, looking like a puma about to pounce on its prey. Kelly often shifted her personas, making it hard for people to read her. One moment she was calm and understanding, the next playful and happy, and then all of a sudden she turned quiet, analytical and altogether dangerous to be around. This last one was not a good sign. Not a good sign at all.

"What do you want to know?" Sabrina replied, just as lightly. Kelly relaxed slightly, but she remained still, looking at Jill to see just how far she would tread down this path, and wondering when she would need to break in.

"Just, you know. The basics. What growing up a military brat was like for you and all that."

_Oh. The basics. Deep breaths, Bri. Would you like me to take over for you?_ Sabrina's conscience was acting up again. She sighed in relief. It would be good to have the more relaxed Sabrina talk, rather than the one who would never betray her secrets to anyone.

"Well, as you all know, I grew up with my daddy. He was the one who first taught me how to handle a gun like a soldier, how to catch a fish with a spear like a pro, and how to play chess like a master." She smiled and shrugged. _Keep going. _"He raised me well. Made up for everything else." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she realized what she was doing. _Damn! Too loose. You gotta keep it light. Don't say anything yet, just wait for the reaction._

Sabrina's wince went unnoticed to all but one. Kelly cringed and stood in her defensive mode again. _Oh, Jill. Can't you see she doesn't want this? Why couldn't you let it go? Oh well. It's too late now._

Kris looked at Kelly and saw the emotions flit unsurely across her face. _Kelly's upset by this, as am I. Jill shouldn't jump into things like this, it might be hurting Sabrina. She does never talk about her past, though. _Kris frowned, unable to decide if she should act or see this through. She saw that it was hurting Kelly, and even more importantly, shutting the usually talkative and cheery Sabrina down. _I'll wait it out for now, I'm rather curious as to what Sabrina's reaction will be._

Jill frowned. "Made up for everything else?" She repeated.

Sabrina smiled nervously. "Well, you know, my dad wasn't around all that much, so when he was with me, he made it real special. We would have great times together."

Jill smiled back at her, but she knew Sabrina was hiding something, and she intended to figure out just what it was.

"What about the times when he wasn't there? Were you alone?"

Something in Sabrina clicked just then, something dark and cruel. Her mindset switched straight from evasive to unforgiving, an emotion she rarely used on anyone, let alone her friends. _If they want my past, then they're going to have it._

Kelly saw Sabrina's eyes harden. She could see right through her. She winced and sent a quiet prayer to her.

" 'Aliena nobis, nostra plus aliis placent.' " Kelly said softly.

Jill looked at her friend, utterly confused. Since when had Kelly spoken Latin?

She knew that Sabrina had studied it in school and could read and translate the language perfectly, but she had never known that Kelly also understood the dead language.

"What does that mean, Kel?"

Kelly looked straight at her. "It's a quote, spoken by Publilius Syrus. It means, 'Other people's things are more pleasing to us, and ours to other people.' Roughly, we are always more interested in other people's 's proven to be right."

The corner of Jill's mouth twitched. She knew Kelly was targeting her, and she instantly felt badly about letting her instincts run free. She wondered how Sabrina would react.

Sabrina, however, took no notice of Jill. She looked at Kelly and smiled just a tiny bit. "Adversus solem ne loquitor. Accipere quam facere praestat injuriam." _ Don't speak against the sun (don't waste your time arguing the obvious). It is better to suffer an injustice than to do an injustice. _

Kelly looked back at Sabrina. "Cum tacent, clamant." _ When they remain silent, they cry out. (Their silence speaks louder than words) (Cicero) _

"Excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta." _ He who excuses himself, accuses himself. _ Replied Sabrina, quick-witted and sharp as ever.

Kelly thought hard, scrolling down the list of quotes that she knew. She found one and looked at Sabrina like a teacher looking at a student who doesn't understand the basic concept. "Intelligenti pauca." _Few words suffice for he who understands. _

Sabrina scowled. She was most definitely not going to let Kelly have the last word. She, after all, was not just quoting, but actually speaking fluent Latin. She finally came up with something and smiled at Kelly.

"Lapsus linguae est lapsus memoriae." _A slip of the tongue is a slip of the memory. _

Jill looked at the two of them, utterly confused. "I have no idea what you guys are talking about."

Sabrina laughed. "Latine loqui coactus sum." _I have this compulsion to speak Latin._

"Ah." Jill chuckled, still having no idea what she was saying. Through the smiles, though, Kris could see that she felt bad for her rash actions. She knew she had to do something.

"Jill, want to go upstairs? You look tired."

Jill looked at her and blinked thrice rapidly, their signal of thanks, then nodded and followed Kris upstairs.

"Jill, I know you feel bad about that, but hey, listen. Look at me." Kris stroked the left side of Jill's face and turned her so that she was facing her. "Sweetie, I think she'll tell us eventually. Bri is definitely not the secretive type, you know.

Jill sighed. "Yeah, I know."

Kris made a face and pulled her older sister into her chest. "You know what type Sabrina is? She's forgiving, comforting, honest, and kind. I don't even think she cares! I mean, you shouldn't have done that, but there is a very slim chance that Sabrina doesn't want to be your friend. Very slim."

"Yeah, I know."

Kris frowned. "You gotta come up with another answer."

Jill looked up at her, and this time she was grinning. "Yeah, I know."

**Meanwhile...**

Sabrina frowned. "Where are they off to in such a hurry? Kris didn't take what I said to heart, did she?"

Kelly looked at Sabrina quizzically. "They don't understand Latin, remember? And…what did you say?"

Bri grinned. "Just a little tease, nothing too bad."

Kelly decided that Sabrina was not going to share any more information, so she didn't push any further. Besides, she had something else on her mind. "Oh." She smiled.

Sabrina smiled back at Kelly, but Kelly knew that there was sadness behind the smile. Sabrina's past was haunting her, and Kelly could see it plainly in her face. It was an itch she knew Sabrina could not- or would not- scratch. And Kelly wondered if protecting Sabrina from her monsters was a god idea after all.

_We might've waited for Jill to act up instead of going in like that. It might've been good for her to let it out._

_Good how?_

_Like it was good for you._

Kelly sighed and put her head in her hands, earning a concerned look from Bri.

Sabrina was hurting, but she put Kelly first anyway- like Kelly did for her.

"Hey, kiddo. What's on your mind?"

Kelly looked at Bri and, for the first time, noticed how she looked. Her dark brown hair was starting to grow out, constantly in her face. Her chocolate brown eyes, usually warm and friendly, were now intense, telling a story of secrets and hardship. Kelly looked straight into them now, wanting Bri to know how serious she was.

"Sabrina," she began, "I'm not half as concerned with myself as I am with you."

Sabrina sighed. Maybe the time had come, after all.

"Well, first of all, I owe you a depth of gratitude for cutting in back there. Kel, I was- I was about to hurt myself, and probably hurt Jill as well. And that would be inexcusable." She looked down, blinking hard.

Kelly exhaled, glad that Sabrina was not being evasive, and that she was finally opening up.

"I could see your eyes turn to steel, something that reminded me of myself. You felt that you were being forced into something, so instead of submitting or lashing out, you turned to ice. I couldn't let that happen. Not to you."

Kelly was expecting a smile, or a frown, or any acknowledgement of the words she had spoken. So she was quite surprised when a low growl slid through her throat.

Alarmed, Kelly asked, "Bri, what's-"

"Shut up for a second, will you?" She hissed through clenched teeth.

Anyone else would have been taken aback. Kelly, however, had much experience with these reactions, and she knew that Bri had snapped at her only because she sensed danger. Kelly immediately switched into defensive mode.

"Alright, Kelly." Sabrina's voice was barely a whisper. "Go check on Kris and Jill, see if they're alright."

"What! No! I'm not leaving you alone down here, Sabrina. Remember what happened last time?"

Sabrina whirled on her. "I can take care of myself, Kelly! Or maybe you would choose my life over theirs!"

Kelly immediately retaliated. "Maybe I would!"

Sabrina froze. She looked at Kelly with horror in her eyes.

"Kel," she whispered. "Don't think like that, come on. I'm sorry."

But Kelly went right ahead. She could feel the ice crawling up her throat. "What would you do in my place? Who would you choose?" She said quietly.

Sabrina hesitated. "That's different." She muttered.

"How is it different, Sabrina? How is it any different?

"Because, Kelly!" Bri exploded. "Because it's you! And I don't want to lose you! I've lost too many people as it is!"

Kelly was shocked and ashamed of herself, but a small part of her felt victorious without her knowing why. She stared at Sabrina, who was trembling with passion and fury.

All that could be heard was the stillness of breath. Time seemed to go on forever.

Finally, Kelly sighed. "Alright. How about we both go?"

Sabrina didn't respond for a few moments. Then, "'Kay."

They walked in silence upstairs. Kelly nervously shifted her gun from her left hand to her right, her thoughts not only concerned for her two friends upstairs, but also for the one who was now following her to whatever danger that they would come upon. She couldn't believe what Sabrina had said. What she herself had said. Kelly knew that she had struck a nerve, and she couldn't forgive herself.

They finally reached the guestroom. Sabrina quietly approached it, and, on Kelly's nod, flung the door wide open.

* * *

**Even if you didn't like the Latin, it was a long chapter, you have to admit. **

**Anyways, hope you liked. Maybe I'll post the next one, maybe I won't. Please Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Painful Memories**

**So, I haven't updated in...forever. Yeah. I know. Unfortunately, you are not going to be able to kill me just yet, because it is WINTER VACATION and I refuse to let your anger destroy my happiness in finally having freedom. Let me repeat that in song-**

**"I'm gonna soak up the sun**

**Before it goes out on me  
Don't have no master suite  
I'm still the king of me  
You have a fancy ride, but baby  
I'm the one who has the key  
Every time I turn around  
I'm looking up, you're looking down  
Maybe something's wrong with you  
That makes you act the way you do  
Maybe I am crazy too"**

**That's "Soak Up The Sun" by Sheryl Crow, in case you didn't recognize. Awesome song, you should listen to it.**

**Yeah, so anyways...**

**Wait! Why are you even reading this? Stop reading this! Read this chapter, it's infinitely more interesting than me and my ramblings!**

* * *

Kelly jumped in, pointing her gun at the two silent figures on the bed.

"Whoa, whoa, cool it! It's just us! Jill and Kris, remember? Your friends?" Jill exclaimed, putting her hands up in the air and instinctively moving so that she was in front of Kris.

Kelly did not relax. She did, however, lower her gun and swiveled her eyes around the room, searching for any signs of danger. "What did you say you heard, Sabrina?"

Bri, still not looking at Kelly, sighed. "A crash. But I found the source."

Kelly turned to find Sabrina staring at the ground. She followed her glance and saw the shattered remains of what was once a beautiful glass lamp. Kelly then turned back to Sabrina, who simply stood there, not moving. Kelly got worried.

"It was like that before we came in," Kris said. "We were about to tell you. But then you came up, so…" Her voice trailed off, not because of the sudden realization that no further explanation was needed, but because of the strange noise coming out of Sabrina's throat. It sounded like a cross between a sob, a growl, and a person being strangled. Like choking on words.

Kris glanced to Kelly, expecting her to comfort Sabrina, but Kelly continued to stare at her friend. She made no attempt to come near her, instead, it seemed as if she was shrinking away. As if she was afraid of Bri's reaction.

Jill, too, saw this encounter and piped up. "Sabrina. Is everything alright? Was that lamp, uh, expensive? Because we can pay for it."

"It was like this before you got here?" Sabrina said quietly. The way she spoke was dead, a monotone.

"Yeah, it was just there." Kris said, worried now.

"It's not your fault, then. You don't need to do anything."

"Are you sure? We could split, I mean it's no trouble at all, really." Jill was worried as well, but, unlike Kris, she could not remain silent. She had to say something to make the tension seem like a pretense, like it was all good fun. Although this naivety was sometimes cute and relieving, in situations such as the one she was in now it seemed bothersome and would most likely have the opposite effect on the tension around her. Kris knew this, and sighed. _Oh, Jill. Just keep your mouth shut sometimes._

Luckily for Jill, Sabrina did not lash out-not at her, at least.

"It was like this before you got here." Sabrina repeated, this time as a statement. She snapped her head up and her eyes turned completely black, dangerous and glinting. "It was like this before you got here."

Now Kris was frightened. The way Sabrina had said it… Someone was bound to get hurt. She had to act fast, before Sabrina did something she would probably regret.

Unfortunately, Jill beat her to it.

"Bri, what on earth are you saying? Why are you so angry?"

Sabrina turned on Jill, finally snapping. She was not really angry at her friend, just slightly annoyed. But it was all she needed. A target. And, like every other target in her life, she had a clear shot.

"Jill. You could afford to be a little less nosy in the future. But, since you won't stop bugging me, I'll tell you. My mother is dead. My father was rarely home. I got into fights when I was in grade school. The only thing that kept me there with high grades was my academic intelligence." She said the words with a sneer, her lips curled over her teeth in disgust. "I was just so smart that they couldn't possibly kick me out. Not to mention my father. The military hero who finally swooped down to save my life. He got into a huge argument with the head of the school." Sabrina spat out the words like venom. A very small part of her told her to stop, to think about where she was going. _Tread lightly, you have to tread lightly, _it pleaded.

_No. I've had it with the secrets and the evasiveness. Jill wants to know, and after all this time, she deserves to know. It's our own fault she's asking. We've put this off for too long, friend. Now is the time._

"What about the lamp?" asked Kris in a small voice. She had a feeling that Sabrina was ready to pour her heart out, and she knew she couldn't stop now.

Sabrina looked at the lamp with a strange mingling of hatred and longing.

"It was my mother's favorite. She was in the hospital. We were expecting another baby." Sabrina smiled at the memory. "The designs are hers, she treated the cover like a canvas. She painted and painted for days, not coming out of her room for anything. I carried supper to her each night, and breakfast each morning. She wouldn't respond to me. I don't even know if she ate it." She closed her eyes. "You can hardly see it anymore, but this here is her signature." Still with closed eyes, she traced along the bottom of the lamp, stopping at rough edges and tracing them. She nodded to herself and held it out so that the Angels could see. "My father came out of her room and said she was finished, and she wanted to give it to me. I asked him why she couldn't give it to me herself." She opened her eyes, tears finally appearing, pouring out.

"He said that she was in a better place." Sabrina looked at Kelly when she said this. "It was going to be a boy."


	8. Chapter 8

**Feathers and Thunderclouds**

Kris bit her lip in an attempt to keep the tears from falling. Failing miserably, she glanced at Sabrina. Bri, not quite over her anger, glared at Jill.

"Now you know," she said. "Now you all know."

Jill, unable to look at Sabrina, let the tears freely fall. "Gosh, Bri, I'm so sorry, I'm so nosy, I didn't even-I couldn't stop myself-I-I…" She cut herself off, seeing the look in Bri's eyes. Now was not the time to apologize. Sabrina needed to get whatever was bothering her off of her back. Because, deep inside, Jill knew-as did the others-that Bri was hiding something deeper than that. Something too dark and terrible to say. She had lost more than a mother, more than an unborn brother. Yet she was not willing to tell. She had to get it out soon, though. Jill did not know why, but she got the terrible feeling in her stomach that something dreadful was about to happen to Sabrina. And, worst of all, it was going to happen very soon.

It was Kelly who saved them. Finally speaking up, she looked at Sabrina.

"What was his name?" She asked quietly.

Sabrina's head snapped up. "What?"

Kelly tried again. "The baby. What was his name going to be?"

Kris inhaled sharply, nervous as to Sabrina's reaction, but Jill smiled the tiniest bit. Jill had seen this before, unlike her little sister. She had seen the strong connection between Kelly and Bri. Stronger than friendship. It was a sisterly love, just as unwavering as her and Kris' bond.

"Andrew." And, for the first time that night, Sabrina smiled a genuine smile. And Kelly smiled right back at her.

Kris and Jill grinned at each other. All was forgiven.

Jill broke the companionable silence. "All right, enough of the sappy stuff. Come on, we gotta figure out who was in here, huh?"

Sabrina's smile faded. She growled at Jill, and, before any of them had time to react, had Jill pinned to the floor. Jill looked absolutely stunned. She managed to gasp out, "Bri! I thought we were past this? Oh, come on, I'm sorry I'm so nosy, gosh I've such a loud mouth! Sabrina, I'm so sorry!"

Bri grinned. "You're not paying that penalty. You are forgiven for that crime."

Jill laughed nervously. "Aw, that's real generous of you! You know what else would be generous, Bri? Getting off!"

Sabrina's smile grew even wider. "Typical Jill. You always knew how to break a heartfelt moment."

Jill was pulled back on her feet in a sudden, swift movement. She turned to Sabrina, giving her a cocky grin. "Ah, well, you know me. Always gettin' on your bad side."

"Yeah. No one does it as well as you, Jill." Bri cast an annoyed look at Jill, to which she answered by sticking out her tongue and smiling triumphantly. Kelly rolled her eyes at the two of them.

She jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hiya." Kris smiled down at her. "You okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Why are you worrying about me?"

"Because," Kris said, narrowing her eyes at her friend, "I care about you, hon. You and Bri seemed a little, ah, how shall I put this…?"

"Less than friendly?" Kelly supplemented.

"Yeah. I was just wondering if everything was alright."

Kelly offered her younger friend a small smile. "I don't know, Kris. There's something I've wanted to tell her for a while now, and I just can't seem to get the right words. But today…I think I did tell her. Not in the way I had planned it, though. I just-I don't know if she wanted to hear it." Her voice faltered at the last part. Kris put her arms around her friend, not minding the obscurity of her words. The way Kris saw it, Kelly needed a friend. And Kris was a friend. As easy as two plus two.

"Why don't you ask her, Kel?" Kris broke the ice.

Kelly smiled. "I don't know if I want to ruin her mood just yet."

Kris chuckled quietly, and then laughed out loud as Jill threw a pillow in Bri's face. Sabrina yelped. "Oh, you are so dead, my little friend. I will make you regret that, I promise you."

A flurry of white soon ensued. Kris watched her sister and her friend with a smile on her face. Then, remembering that Kelly's issue had not yet been resolved, she turned around and opened her mouth to speak. It snapped shut in a second.

Where was Kelly?

Alarmed, she swiveled her head back around, looking frantically for her friend. A pillow smacking her shoulder interrupted her frenzied search. She snapped her head up to see Kelly, grinning from ear to ear. Kris glared at her friend, her blue eyes now turning to blades of ice. Had Kelly's confession simply been a distraction for this treachery?

Jill burst out laughing at her little sister's expression. "You look like you've just lost a game to Cathy Mayers!"

Sabrina stopped her constant attack on Jill for a brief moment. "Who is Cathy Meyers?"

"Somebody you very much do not want to meet." Kris said. It came out as more of a growl. She was still thinking about Kelly's betrayal, and adding her childhood enemy, Cathy Meyers, to the picture was not helping her mood. It did, however, make her want to hit Kelly even more. She turned around and grabbed the pillows out of the hands of a surprised Sabrina. "Hey! No stealing ammo!" Bri cried. Kris did not seem to hear her. Pillows held in clenched fists, she turned towards Kelly, eyes blazing.

Jill crawled up to her friend. "I think Kelly's gonna get it," she whispered.

Bri looked on in amazement. "She looks like my father when he's about to open fire!"

And open fire Kris did. With a yell of, "Traitor!" she leaped at Kelly, raining pillows hard down upon her. Both Sabrina and Jill roared with laughter as Kelly, cowering and begging for mercy, scrambled away in search of escape.

Jill grinned. "All right, I'm not usually one to break up a good pillow fight, but we should probably get down to T.I. We do have a job to do."

Sabrina's eyes widened as she looked at her watch. "Yeah, Jill's right, look at the time! We just went through the entire night!"

**At Townsend Investigations, about one hour later**

"Good morning, Angels." Charles Townsend's voice came through the small box, the man behind the speaker unseen as always.

"Hi, Charlie!" The Angels chorused back. It was a practiced response.

Bosley smiled at the girl's timely arrival. In fact, they were five minutes early. "Well, you girls certainly seem eager to work today."

Kris, Jill, Kelly, and Sabrina all turned to Bosley at the same time. Jill spoke up first, always the one to provide the comic relief. "Well, Bosley, you know what they say!"

"Time…" Sabrina and Jill started.

"…is money." Kris and Kelly finished through giggles.

All the girls laughed together. Bosley harrumphed and shook his head at his Angels. His frown deepened as he heard Charlie's more muffled, quiet chuckle. "Alright, let's just get down to business. Kris, always good to have you joining in the fun." He acknowledged Jill's little sister's presence with a friendly smile.

"Well, I can't stay bored for too long. 'Sides," she grinned at Jill, "I need to make sure she doesn't get herself into too much trouble."

Jill glared at Kris. "Are we forgetting who is the eldest here, _Krissy?_"

Kris's mouth opened, and then clamped shut again. "Jill, please," she begged her sister. "Please, please, don't use that name. I hate it."

Jill smirked. "Do you acknowledge my superiority?"

"Yes, Almighty Jill. I bow down before you, as your loyal disciple. I shan't fail to recognize your authority again." Kris said mockingly. There was no hint of sarcasm in her voice, but the Angels, having known her for a long time, knew that she was teasing Jill. Jill knew this as well, and she gave her sister a haughty look and turned away, huffing in annoyance. Kris merely rolled her eyes and found a place on the couch next to Sabrina.

"Let's just get on the case," Bosley said, shaking his head at the Angels. "Sabrina? Are you, uh, good to go?"

"Yes, John, I'm quite capable of kill- I mean, getting to the bottom of this." Sabrina replied, ignoring the concerned looks.

"Okay, let's get straight to business then. The attacker's name was Mark Creed, a professional assassin. He was hired by John Leblanc and Caleb Anders, two gangsters working for crime lord Nathaniel W. Ellington, a.k.a. 'The Wizard.'" Charlie said through the speaker.

"Were there other attempts made?" Sabrina asked.

"Yes, but those attempts were all successes, Sabrina, You were the first to come out alive." Bosley's eyes softened as he said this. _And I'm glad for it, _he added mentally.

"Why 'The Wizard'? What does that signify?" Jill wondered aloud.

"No one knows. And no, it has nothing to do with his middle name, Jill." Sabrina answered.

"You know of him?" Bosley said, surprised.

"Oh, sure. He was involved in some heavy cases with the Mafia a couple years back, and he used to be in the military. My dad told me a bit about him."

"Yes, I've heard of that. Do you know why he got drafted in from prison?"

"Oh, I don't know Bos, maybe he did a magic trick or something." She replied, giving him a forced smile. Kris chuckled, but it sounded darker as well.

Bosley knew they wanted to hurt him, whoever he was. He recognized their anger as his own. He saw that Kelly had not spoken.

So did Charlie. "Kelly, my dear, is everything alright? You're quieter than usual."

"Oh, yes Charlie, I'm fine…I just want this Ellington found, along with the others." Her eyes flashed.

"Kel, will we have to restrain you again?" Sabrina joked. Kelly didn't reply, and it made her a little nervous. "Hey, I'm just messing with you, kiddo. Sorry."

"It's fine, I'm just worried, that's all." Kelly said unconvincingly. The disbelief on Sabrina's features was apparent, and it bothered Kelly to no end. "Really, I'm quite alright."

Sabrina knew that it was not the time to push, so she rolled her eyes and relented. "Whatever." Turning back to the box, she questioned, "How do we further our investigation, Charlie?"

"Ellington's two cronies were last seen in a hotel right here in Los Angeles. It is presumed that they split- and it is also presumed that they have weaponry." His voice had an edge to it that did not go unnoticed by the angels, and they shared knowing looks with each other.

Bosley spoke up again, his face grave. "The incident that happened recently- well, I don't want it happening again, girls." They nodded in unison, Jill looking at Kris in a protective way, and Kelly doing the same to Bri.

Sabrina twisted her mouth downward, an expression of regret. "Hey, listen, nothing will happen to us. It'll be fine, you know?" she said brightly, though there was a hint of doubt in her voice.

Kelly nodded. "Not if I- not if we can help it," she added seriously.

Charlie's long inhale could be heard through the speaker box. "All right, angels. Just take cautions, like you always do. And Sabrina…"

"Sir?" Bri asked, perking up. "I mean, er, Charlie?" she corrected, blushing. Her military background influenced her speech to people, and she usually had it under control. Except when she was nervous, or doubtful.

_Like now._

She pushed the negative-sounding voice out of her head and awaited his response.

"You don't have to-"

"Charlie," she interrupted sternly. "Listen. Of course there is some part of me that is nervous. These guys aren't messing around here, obviously." The silence in the room told her that she had the other's attention, and she went on. "But, then again, that just proves the fact that I want to see them behind bars, so we can have that accomplishment of putting these criminals away."

Bosley nodded, partially because he agreed, and partially because he wished her to continue.

"One thing I know for sure, though, is this." Sabrina paused again, and then looked directly at her colleagues, one by one. "I'll be damned if I let anything happen to any of you."

"Well, I guess it's settled, then!" Jill said cheerily, breaking the respectful silence that had settled over the room.

Kelly smiled, cracking her knuckles. She enjoyed having a target. "When do we leave?" she asked in a voice that was a tad too eager. Sabrina raised an eyebrow at her, but she shook her head slightly, not caring to explain.

"Tomorrow." Charlie affirmed. "Oh, looks like I have to get back to my exercises… Farewell, Angels!"

"Bye, Charlie!" they chorused back at him, smirking at their boss's awkward excuse to have to leave so quickly.

Bosley yawned and ushered them out, giving Kris a peck on the cheek, to which she laughed at and promptly kissed him back- right on the lips. He stumbled away, blushing furiously.

The others laughed at the spectacle, and Kris shrugged. "That's what I do when a handsome man kisses me!"

Bosley frowned and blushed again. "Eh. Well… Handsome? You really think so?" He coughed discreetly and smoothed out his tie, leaning into a mirror. "Huh. Well, alright, if you say so…"

The girl's giggles could be heard echoing throughout the halls. Sabrina patted him lightly. "Ah, John, you look just fine to me."

"Sabrina." Bosley's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Yes?" she replied.

He sighed. "Be careful, honey."

She smiled and gave him a hug. "You know I always am, Bos."

With that, the dark haired angel left, closing the door behind her. Bosley looked after her, sighing again softly.

"You'd better be."


	9. Chapter 9

**Doubts and Affirmations**

Restless. Kelly was restless.

Driving back to her own home took a lot more concentration than it should have; she hadn't realized the green light that she was sitting on until the Corvette behind her literally nudged her own car forward. At that, something seemed to wake up inside of her and she, startled, sped forward, narrowly missing the car that was switching lanes right by her side.

Smiling, she shook her head and turned the key in the lock. She opened the door and went into her house, gently closing it behind her.

_ That was definitely a Sabrina moment there on the street, _she thought. Laughing at her own private joke, she walked into the living room and sat on the couch, exhausted from her sleepless- and fun- night.

_It was, of course, because you're thinking about her way more than usual…. _Her thoughts trailed off, and she sighed helplessly. "I know," she said aloud. "I want her to be safe."

_Yeah. Safe…Safe in your arms._

"It's not wrong to feel that way about her," Kelly continued defensively. "She's been my friend for so long."

There was no more doubt from her mind, and she sighed again. Somehow winning the battle of doubt did not make her feel any better.

With nothing to do, she milled about aimlessly in the house for a while, trying not to remember the huge case on their hands. Of course, she should have been researching. Any other time she would have gotten right to it. But here she was, finding a million tiny distractions instead of her actual job.

It was unlike her.

She jumped when the phone rang. Calming herself, she picked it up and sat on the couch, crossing one leg over the other. "Hello?"

"Hiya, Kel."

She smiled at the voice. "What's up, Kris?"

"Just seeing how you're doing. Jill and I can't wait to catch this guy," she replied. A loud whoop could be heard from Jill in the background, and Kelly shook her head, chuckling. "Oh, tell me about it."

"How's Bri?"

"Well, I'm not sure...I think she's all right. She seemed to be when we left the office...why do you ask?"

Kris' surprise was evident in her voice. "You mean she's not over there yet?"

"She's coming over?" _She's coming over! Shit._

"Yeah." The blonde laughed. "She couldn't sit still with us. I think Jill was going a bit overboard on teasing her...You didn't know? She said she'd call..."

"Yeah, well, she didn't." Kelly sighed as she put some tea on the stove. _Shit!_

"Oh." The girl paused thoughtfully before speaking again. "I think this would be the perfect time to talk to her about...whatever it is. You know, just so you two are clear." Kelly froze over the counter. "Kel? You still there?"

"Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. Uh...You know what? That's her at the door. Talk to you later, okay? Bye!" She swiftly hung up and gulped in a huge breath of air. _What the hell was that? She's not at the door!_

_ That was you being a coward._

Kelly frowned deeply, shuddering. What was she to say? 'Oh, Bri, by the way, I can't stop thinking about you. Chamomile or Red Zinger?'

_Yeah, that'll go well. How about this one? _'Hey Sabrina! Today I almost got into an accident because I was worrying about your safety...and how much honey do you take in your tea?'

Lost in her dreadful daydreams, Kelly didn't hear the doorbell ring. Sabrina rolled her eyes and took out the spare key. _Probably sleeping, knowing her, _she thought.

She wandered into the apartment, freezing when she saw her best friend slumped on the couch with her head in her hands. Sabrina instantly walked towards her, hands low as to not startle the woman.

"Kel?" she said gently.

Kelly jumped up, grabbing Sabrina by the shoulders and flipping her over the couch in a complicated jiu-jitsu movement. "Whoa!" the brunette yelled as she landed on the wooden floor. "Ouch. Well. No wonder you were ignoring me. Apparently I'm unwelcome here," Sabrina said as she held her already bruised ribs. "Yikes."

Kelly stared at her for a few moments before nearly tripping over herself in an attempt to apologize. "God, Bri, I'm so sorry, I- I mean, I didn't hear the doorbell...daydreaming, you know, and-

"Kelly. Kelly!" The green-eyed woman snapped to attention. "Hey. You know what would be wonderful? Before you hurt yourself, why don't you help me up, eh?"

She blushed and took Sabrina by the hands, careful of her scar. Sabrina grinned and dusted herself off, making no move to sit on the couch. Kelly was hyper-aware of her nearness, and she was sure Bri could hear her loud, thumping heartbeat.

Instead, Sabrina slung her arm around her friend and patted her on the back. "A little excited, aren't we?" she joked.

"Uhh." _Oh yeah. That was intelligent. _"Um! Tea?"

Bri chuckled again, giving the woman an odd look. "Oh, sure. You have Red Zinger?"

_Lousy coming-out-of-the-closet-option #1 taken, _the sarcastic voice in her head nagged. Kelly shook it away. "Yes, I do. Make yourself comfortable."

Sabrina eyed her thoughtfully as she disappeared into the kitchen. _She's more anxious about this case than I am, _she observed silently.

"So," Kelly started from the kitchen, "have you gotten any research done yet?"

"Nah, not really," Bri sighed. "Hopefully Jill and Kris are doing something. I just can't seem to find the heart. And it's weird, because I know I should be diving headfirst into books, or calling my dad about Wellington, or doing something useful...yet I'm here with you instead, drinking tea and being social."

Kelly gritted her teeth. "I don't mind you being here at all," she said before she could stop herself.

"What was that?" Sabrina came into the kitchen, fully aware of what Kelly had said to her.

"Well. I meant that I don't blame you for wanting to escape responsibility once in a while, is all." Kelly, having been raised in an environment where you often had to lie to survive, was exceptionally good at bluffing- and this is what saved her. Sabrina seemed to eat her excuse right up, to which Kelly breathed a sigh of relief. She would not need to explain herself tonight. Tonight, she and Sabrina could be friends- and just that.

Or so she thought.

It had been an hour or so, and she and Sabrina were now both seated by the fireplace. It was ridiculously chilly for early September, and they had both had about three cups of tea and shared a bottle of wine amongst themselves. Bri was getting a bit loose, and Kelly struggled to keep her own sanity in check, mindful of the taller woman's infectious laughter and boisterousness. The clock had already struck past nine when Sabrina voiced her next thought.

"All right. Let's play 'Have You Ever.'"

Kelly giggled and agreed. "But how will we cope without Jill to play with us?" she asked, looking around for the playful blonde.

"Jill this, Jill that," Sabrina slurred. "We don't need Jill to make this game... interesting," she drawled.

"Fine. You go first."

Bri grinned and leaned back against the couch, staring into the flame. "Have you ever fallen in love with the same person as your best friend?"

"Of course," Kelly said plainly. "I can do much better than that. Have you ever cheated on Bill?"

"No!" Bri exclaimed, giving her a murderous look. "You know the reason we split. I am not unfaithful." Sabrina stuck up her nose proudly.

"Too bad. I could definitely see you hooking up with more than one and getting away with it." Kelly raised her eyebrows suggestively at the brunette, who frowned and folded her arms against her chest. "Hey! It was a compliment!"

"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that." Bri took another sip of her wine and bit her lower lip thoughtfully. "Have you ever experimented with the same sex?"

The question, even for the game they were playing, was altogether too abrupt for Kelly. She stumbled slightly. "What? Well, I- Yes. Once. But it wasn't really serious, just a fling. I mean, I'm not- I wasn't- I don't-

Sabrina turned to face her. "Did you like it?"

Kelly gulped. "Uh. At the time, yes," she blushed.

"Ah, so." Bri affirmed to herself. She leaned closer to Kelly, her eyes looking intently into her face. "See, when I first kissed a girl, it was my best friend. And it went just a little bit like this one." Without any hesitation, she planted her soft lips on Kelly's, closing her eyes.

For a fleeting moment of doubt, Kelly was frozen. Then she returned it passionately, savoring it until Sabrina broke apart for air.

"Well," Bri gasped, her cheeks flushed, "I guess this one went a lot better than the other."

Kelly smiled widely, unsurely. "Bri, I-"

"Shhh...No need for that now. Just live in it, Kel. Live in it with me." Kelly could do nothing but comply as Bri pulled her into another, more demanding kiss. Their tongues caressed in their mouths, and this time it was Kelly who broke it. She stared at Sabrina, her eyes full of hope.

Bri grinned. "I told you we didn't need Jill."

Kelly laughed. "I suppose you were right."

And for the first time that month, both Angels simply lived in it.


End file.
